Job Description
Job Title: Senior Family Responses ManagerReporting to: Head of Homeless ServicesThe RoleThe Senior Family Responses Manager has responsibility for the leading, coordination and delivery of all of COPE Galway's services for families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, ensuring the delivery of high quality services in line with NQSF (National Quality Standards Framework for Homeless Services) and leading and implementing change, identifying gaps in service delivery and designing and operationalising new services into the future. They have responsibility for ensuring the embedding of the values of COPE Galway and a trauma informed approach within the services. They hold the responsibility for ensuring adherence to Children First and Child Protection policies and procedures within all Family Responses.The role is a strategic one which sits between Service Managers and the Head of Homelessness, Managers in homeless services that work with families will directly report to them. It is also a collaborative one where the person works closely with two other Senior Homeless Services Managers as well as the wider Homeless Services and COPE Galway Teams. The person will also strategically develop and nurture close collaborative relationships with statutory and voluntary agencies across Galway City and County.This is a new role with space for the person to contribute to shaping the role and to creatively and dynamically lead the future direction of COPE Galway's responses to family homelessness.Current Family ServicesCOPE Galway Family Services works with and supports families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, including providing, and placing families in, emergency accommodation (including private emergency accommodation such as B&Bs and Hotels, own door self-contained units and a separately run Family Hub); homeless prevention interventions, resettlement and tenancy support and the provision of information and referral to mainstream services and assistance is securing long term housing.The work of the Service is encapsulated under the four headings of:Prevention - early identification and intervention for families at risk of becoming homelessEmergency Accommodation and Support - assessments and arranging of appropriate emergency accommodation placementResettlement - supporting families to exit homelessness and supporting them in taking up a tenancy and re-establishing a homeTenancy Support - providing ongoing support to families to sustain their tenanciesCOPE Galway Corrib Haven Family Hub is an emergency accommodation facility for 10 single parent families experiencing homelessness. Corrib Haven provides intensive keyworking supports especially focused on housing to support a successful exit from homelessness.Our Values, Our Work, Our PeopleOur Vision is a community where every person is valued, cared for, and supported at every stage of life. We work to achieve this by providing essential supports for people at challenging times in their lives, and by advocating for systemic change to remove the root causes of inequity and disadvantage that constrain the wellbeing and development of individuals, families and communities.Our Mission is to make a difference by empowering people, creating change and strengthening communities. We understand, respect and respond to the needs of our clients who are always at the forefront of our work.COPE Galway is committed to becoming a Trauma Informed Organisation through an implementation plan that includes training for all team members across all roles and departments. Trauma Informed Practice (TIP) aims to support us to recognise trauma and to react and respond to it in ways that minimise triggering and retraumatising people, so that we continue to provide the best possible services to those who need us most. TIP also encourages us to focus on our organisational culture and how we each interact with one another to create psychologically safe environments for clients, volunteers and staff.Everything we do is guided by the COPE Galway Approach to help us achieve our vision of a community where every person is valued, cared for and supported at every stage of life. This assets-based and person-centered approach recognises that each person has attributes and strengths that can make positive differences in their own lives. We achieve results for the people we work with because of our Approach.Core CompetenciesAn ability to develop and promote a culture of understanding, ownership and delivery of the Organisation's visionAn ability to drive and maintain a culture of expected standards of behaviour within the OrganisationStrong Management, Leadership and Mentorship SkillsStrong change management skillsStrong advocacy skillsDynamism and creativityExcellent report writing, IT, communication and presentation skillsDuties and ResponsibilitiesThe Manager is responsible to the Head of Homeless Services. Their key duties are:Leadership and ManagementTo lead COPE Galway's responses to family homelessness, heading up and line managing a team of managers and leads and to develop and build capacity within the teamTo support managers to participate in recruitment, ensuring processes are fair and in line with those recommended by HR, and to participate when requiredTo provide support and supervision to the Family Services management team and to other team members in the absence of their managerTo collaboratively lead the rollout of Trauma Informed Practice across Family ResponsesTo ensure a proactive approach on the part of the service to working with families who are either at risk of homelessness or homeless and to continue to promote and imbed this proactive approach when families move into tenanciesTo proactively identify gaps in service provision and design solutions for these, including the development of new servicesCultureTo be a role model, coach and mentor for all staff in COPE Galway's Family Homeless Responses, embodying the values of the OrganisationTo model leadership behaviours and embed a positive values-led cultureTo co-develop plans for services in line with COPE Galway's Strategic Plan and to ensure that staff at each level understand how their role contributes to the organisational achievement of thisTo encourage, support and role model collaboration across Homeless Services and the wider OrganisationOperationsTo ensure continuity of service delivery, including adequate staffing, and to step in at times of staffing crises in Homeless ServicesTo ensure that managers are operating the day-to-day functions of the service to run smoothly and in accordance with the policies and procedures of COPE GalwayTo take a leadership role within COPE Galway Homeless Services in relation to child protection and welfare and to ensure adherence within Family Responses at all times to the COPE Galway Child Protection and Welfare Policy & Procedure and the Children First GuidelinesClient ServicesTo support managers to ensure a safe, welcoming and friendly environment is established and maintained in the operation of the servicesTo support the development and embedding of a proactive and flexible approach to client engagement including increasing the focus on families at risk of homelessnessInteragencyTo work effectively and in collaboration with Galway City and County Councils and the HSE and voluntary agencies as requiredTo communicate effectively and respectfully with colleagues across agenciesHealth and SafetyTo instill a culture of Health and Safety as a priority within Family Responses whilst prioritising client needs and to provide guidance and leadership in this areaGeneralTo work positively and effectively as a member of a management team, a Homeless Services team and the wider OrganisationTo adhere to all of COPE Galway's policies and proceduresPlease note, this list of duties is not exhaustive. This job description will be subject to review to take account of any changes necessary in response to changing needs and development of the services over time.Key Terms and ConditionsFrequency of Work: 37 hours per week, roster to be agreed with Head of Homeless ServicesContract Period: PermanentSalary/Pay-scale: €60,092 per annumMethod of Pay: Monthly by credit transferAnnual Leave: 27 days per annum pro rataPerson SpecificationEssentialA minimum of five years' experience of working in a management role in a comparable area of work (homeless services, community services, health services, family services etc.)A minimum of five years' experience of working with vulnerable communitiesA recognised third level qualification (minimum level 8) in Social Care or a related fieldA minimum of three years' specific experience of working with homeless families or families who are socially disadvantagedA commitment to the Vision, Mission and Values of COPE Galway and to the achievement of the Organisation's strategic goalsA thorough understanding of the nature of homelessness and of the complex needs of homeless familiesFull clean driving license and own transportDesirableManagement qualification #J-18808-Ljbffr